| Sources |
- [S120] A Place Called Home: Our Story, David L. Popiel, Duay O'Neil, et. al., (2006, The Newport Plain Talk / Jones Media Inc.), dpopiel@xtn.net., 95.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 1 Jul 2007.
Darius cares about auto repairs
(c)2007 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL Darius Webb feels at home with his array of parts books, several feet of thick volumes that he has used for more than 30 years at Newport Auto Car Care Center.
By: David Popiel
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
07-01-2007
Last week's storm front blew down a few trees, ripped up metal roofing, and chased away the heat in our hometown for awhile, but now, the radiators are boiling over. Many days, if you drive along Cosby Highway in Newport and look towards the Newport Auto Care Center, you will see a talk man leaning behind the front glass door looking out. Darius Webb has seen many changes from that vantage point when he and Leon Bryant (The Newport Housing Authority executive) opened the auto parts retail store. Earlier last week I had seen Haskell "Hack" Webb still driving his old green Chevy. So, I decided to drop by and chat with Darius, who said that just the day before Hack had dropped by to do an emergency radiator repair requiring detailed soldering. Hack is 90. He is one of the last masters of copper radiator repair. Darius was born on Indian Camp, near the Joe Fowler residence. Haskell and wife, the former Wilma Phillips, had lived there many years. Darius is 62, if that gives you an idea of the time. Geneva is the oldest child. Also born on Oct. 3, 1944 was Doris, who is a twin to Darius. She retired from the National Park Service after supervising camping sites in the Great Smoky Mountains and lives with her husband, Joe Cooper, at Wears Valley. By 1970, Darius had moved to Newport in a house behind the Cracker Barrel. He hasn't moved far in 37 years because he and wife, Imogene, still live there since getting married Aug. 21, 1970. She is doing much better now after a severe lower back problem during the winter. After serving two years during the Vietnam War in Germany, he returned here and worked a short time at Enka. When Darius moved to Newport, he was working in the Stokely can shop where he enjoyed the work and co-workers. His boss was O.V. Williamson. But during the 1970s there was a major layoff because of a materials problem and he went to work for Kroehler Furniture. "I decided I wanted to go into business," and he did about 1976. Most of his life has been around autos. Daddy Hack also spent a lot of time repairing vehicles, and probably fixed more 1940 Fords than most of us have ever seen. I didn't know much about Imogene but learned she had been married to Jerry Bryant, Leon's brother. Jerry died in the 1960s. She is an office worker and was with George Little for years and then worked at Baptist Hospital of Cocke County before ending up where I see her, at Newport Federal Bank since 1974. Her parents were Charlie and Sarah Styles Moore. You may see her sisters, Paula Inman, Norma Mooneyham, or brother, Oake Moore, around town. Darius and Imogene have a daughter, Lisa Ann, who is married to Jimmy Fine. Lisa had worked at the former Falcon Products plant, and Jimmy is a maintenance worker at the Cocke County Highway Dept. garage. Then, there is the grandson, Dustin, 16, who contacts Mamaw when he needs something. Darius was one of those business people who became very dedicated to both his customers and employees. He often made late night trips to his store to get a part for a person in need, even if the customer was driving through town and never returned to Newport. Over time he said the parts business became too complicated so he got out of it. He had opened the Car Care Center in 1985 on an adjacent lot. Before then he had acquired a lot between the current buildings. The red clay that was excavated ended up at Newport Raceway, when his long-time friend the late Ed Turner built the track. I believe he said that Bert Trent and Bill Myers had owned the lot. The garage sits on another lot so that he now owns many front feet along the highway. His parts store was practically stilling on the old Cosby highway and now has a more removed view of the new highway. He still enjoys what he does and plans to serve customers for many more years. While we chatted, Jay Chrisman's son, Michael, who works for Verizon, came in to pick up something. I had seen him with the Arby's gang earlier that morning. Among the biscuit eaters being, Gene Chrisman, who wondered if those ducks in the Plain Talk being fed by Mayor Iliff McMahan were republicans or democrats. Gene is a brother to Jay and mostly loafs. During a visit to Dr. Ken Johnson last week, because my allergies kept me from breathing deeply, I asked about his wife, Carol. You know she had been hospitalized for weeks with extreme pain. She has a rare lung disorder and not cancer, which is good news. Dr. Johnson said she is still weak from so much sleep deprivation and is resting at home. In plain talk, Saturday night's full moon punctuates a month of anxiety and drama in our town and seems to signify that July will be better, if not hotter.
- [S124] Brown Funeral Home, Newport, Tennessee, (http://www.newportfunerals.com), 22 Mar 2016.
(October 3, 1944 - March 22, 2016)
U.S. Veteran Darius H. Webb age 71 of Newport died Tuesday March 22, 2016 at the Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, TN
He was a member of the Newport Church of Christ and a veteran in the US Army.
He was owner of the Newport Auto Parts and the Newport Car Care Center for many years.
He was preceded in death by his parents Charles Haskell and Wilma Phillips Webb.
He is survived by his wife Imogene Webb,son Jerry Bryant of Greeneville, daughter Ann (Droopy) Fine and husband Jimmy of Newport, grandchildren, Dustin Fine and wife Chasity and Erika Fine of Newport, sisters Geneva Webb of Newport and Doris Cooper and husband Joe of Sevierville, special nieces and nephews Amy Hayes and Susan McMahan of Dandridge; Mike Cooper of Sevierville, Kyler Hayes and Holden McMahan of Dandridge.
He was blessed with many friends throughout his life. Family will receive friends from 4 – 7 pm Friday, March 25, 2016 in the Brown Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Tommy Golmon officiating. Graveside service will be 11 am Saturday, March 26, 2016 at the Union Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Todd Gray, Darrell (Hammer) Pack, Sam McMahan, David Prizer, Ed Thompson, Brent McGhee. Honorary pallbearers will be: Leon Bryant, Charles McNabb, Rick Vassar, Jerry Caughron, Steven Suggs, and Jim Williams.
Brown Funeral Home is honored to serve the Webb Family.
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